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Wildlife Tour Saturday on Washita Refuge

A Kestrel falcon is one of the species of wildlife that visitors to the Washita National Wildlife Refuge might see on Saturday during a wildlife viewing tour.

The Washita National Wildlife Refuge and Foss State Park are partnering to host a wildlife viewing tour on Saturday.
The tour begins at 9 a.m. at the refuge headquarters located five miles west of Butler on SH 33 then one mile north and ½-mile west.
A tour bus will shuttle visitors around the fefuge and state park in search of eagles and other wildlife.
The new tour bus is heated, includes a wheelchair lift for accessibility, and is equipped with a speaker system that allows tour guides to point out animals and provide information to everyone on the bus.
Participants can follow in their own vehicle if they wish. The tour will stop at several locations on the refuge and state park to set up spotting scopes for a closer look at wildlife.
Bald eagles, ducks and geese, bobcats, coyotes, armadillos, and white-tailed deer are some of the wildlife that may be spotted during the tour. Spotting scopes will be available for wildlife watching, but participants are encouraged to bring their own binoculars and/or spotting scopes as well.
Remember to dress for January weather in western Oklahoma.
Washita Refuge is home to a number of migratory and resident wildlife species, and is a wintering home for bald eagles. The birds of prey feed on fish from Foss Reservoir and geese from neighboring fields, and are often seen in trees along the lake shore.
Several mature eagles (with white heads and tails) and immature eagles (uniformly brown colored) have been observed in recent weeks. As winter weather freezes lakes to our north over the next several weeks, more eagles should join them.
For more information, call the refuge at (580) 664-2205 or e-mail washita@fws.gov

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by Ed Godfrey

Copy Editor, Outdoors Editor, Rodeo, River Sports Reporter

Ed Godfrey was born in Muskogee and raised in Stigler. He has worked at The Oklahoman for 25 years. During that time, he has worked a myriad of beats for The Oklahoman including both the federal and county courthouse in Oklahoma City for more...